Was Rembrandt inspired by the story of Queen Esther? In her review of the Jewish Museum’s exhibition “The Book of Esther in the Age of Rembrandt,” Rebecca Schiffman writes that the show “explores the Jewish tale of courage as depicted and reflected in the works of the Dutch Master and his contemporaries. The exhibition argues that the biblical narrative of Purim — in which Esther, a Jewish queen, risks her life to go before the king and save her people from annihilation — was interpreted as a symbol of resilience and liberation in Dutch society, striking a deep chord at the height of their struggle for independence from Spanish rule. “While the exhibition makes a compelling case for this thematic resonance of Esther’s story, some connections between artwork and narrative feel tenuous, raising questions about whether such pairings actually deepen our historical understanding of Esther’s specific influence, or if they are more successful at linking Dutch identity and Jewish resilience ...